Central Lake Ontario

Lake Ontario is the easternmost of the Great Lakes. The Niagara River brings water from Lake Erie into its deep basin, and the St Lawrence carries it onward to the sea. Its broad central waters connect the northern and southern shores, while the island passages at its eastern end lead towards the river and the long route to the Atlantic.

During the War of 1812 the lake became the scene of a prolonged contest between British and American fleets. Both sides built larger vessels in an effort to gain control, with the British using Kingston as a naval base. Neither fleet won a decisive battle over the other, and the end of the war was followed by an agreement limiting their armaments on the lakes.